New Dinosaur Named “Thunder Thighs”

This can’t be great for its self image. Scientists chosen the name Brontomerus mcintoshi for a newly discovered species of sauropod. The first part of the name is Greek–“bronto” for “thunder” and “meros” for “thigh.” Yep. Thunder thighs.

The name derives from the dinosaur’s large legs, which scientists believe it may have used to kick. “What’s interesting is that if it were a sauropod that could move particularly fast, you would expect to see very strong muscles on the back of the leg to pull it along,” the University of London’s Dr. Mike Taylor told the BBC. “But we don’t; this is the opposite. It seems most likely to us that what this is about is being able to deliver a strong kick”

Scientists discovered the bones of an adult and juvenile, which date back 100 million years ago. They believe that the adult would have been roughly the size of an elephant, at 14 meters. The juvenile, meanwhile, was about the size of a pony.